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. J. T. MOTT. I

. FRUIT TRANSPORTING PACKAGE. No. 486,618. Patented Nov. 22, 1892.

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J.- T. MOTT. FRUIT TRA'NSPORTING PACKAGE.

No. 486,618. Patented Nov. 22,1892.

UNITE STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH T. MOTT, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

FRUlT-TRANSPORTING PACKAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,618, dated November 22, 1892.

Application filed February 20,1892. Serial No. 422,232- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH T. MOTT, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Transporting Packages; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side view, and Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section, through my improved transporting package or ventilated carrier for fruits. Fig. 3 is an end View, and Fig. a is a vertical transverse sec tion, through the same. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the top removed. I

This invention is a crate or carrier for transporting small fruits, and is an improvement upon the carrier for which I was granted Letters Patent of the United States on the 3d day of September, 1889, No. 410,429; and the objects of this invention are to insure thorough ventilation or free circulation of air around the several baskets or boxes in the carrier and to insure air-circulation around and among the several carriers when packed, so that the fruit will be equally well preserved and ventilated; also, to make the carriers of such form that they can be nested for transportation when empty, thereby econo- .mizing space and reducing the expense of transportation; also, to make the carrier light and yet strong, and utilize the boxes or baskets therein to strengthen the carrier so that it can support great superimposed weight without collapsing, and to hold the boxes or baskets securely in place within the carrier so that they shall not be crushed, cannot jostle about, and will be thoroughly ventilated.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel combination and construction of the carrier and partitions therein and arrangement of boxes, as will be fully set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A desings are left between the slats for passage of air.

The sides and ends of the carrier incline outwardly from bottom to top, so that the top of carrier is much larger than its bottom.

The carrier is of such size at bottom thata plurality of ordinary berry boxes or baskets 0, having outwardly-inclined sides, can set therein. boxes on its bottom, arrangedin two rows, four boxes to a row. The side and end slats are so arranged that the openings therebetween are opposite the meeting edges of adjoining boxes, whereby free transverse and longitudinal air-passages are formed for circulation of air around and between the several boxes.

D designates a partition superimposed on the lower tier of boxes 0, formed of side bars D and central longitudinal bar D connected by transverse slats D The bars D rest upon the outer top edges of the boxes, and bar D upon the inner top edges thereof, holding them down in place. Each slat D overlies a pair of boxes, but is kept out of contact therewith by the bars, as shown, and a wide air-space is left between adjoining slats D d d are longitudinal strips or foot-rails for the boxes to rest or abut against, secured to the sides of partition D over side bars D. A second tier of boxes 0, arranged like the first tier, is placed upon partition D between footrails d, which prevent the boxes moving laterally. The sides of the boxes in the first tier contact with the sides of the carrier, but the boxes in the second tier should not, as it is desirable to leave an air-space all around the boxes in the upper tiers.

A partition E, constructed like partition D of side and center rails E E and foot-rails e, is superimposed on the second tier of boxes 0, and a third tier of boxes is placed thereon. F is a third partition superimposed on the third tier of boxes and having side and center rails F l? and foot-rails f and end foot-rails f to prevent the boxes set thereon forming the fourth tier from slipping on the partition. This partition F also has depending side strips for shoulder-braces f which depend along- As shown it will hold eight such side the outer side edges of the tops of boxes tion E is somewhat longer and wider than partition D and partition F wider and longer than partition E, so as to make the partitions fit snugly within and against the sides and ends of carrier when in position. G designates the crown-lid or cover of the carrier having a central longitudinal bar G and a collar composed of end bars g g and side bars G, which are attached to the cover, but are kept out of contact therewith by interposed blocks G (or the tops of bars G might be transversely notched or grooved,) so as to allow free air-circulation between said bars and bottom of cover. g g are end bars similarly attached to,but separated from,thecover, and g g are depending strips attached to bars G g, respectively. Bars G G g hold down the top edges of the boxesin the upper tier and prevent the latter moving vertically in the carrier, while strips g gr prevent the boxes movinglaterally. The collar also keeps the crown-lid squarely on the case. By this construction it will be observed that anairspace is left above each tier of boxes and especially in the upper tier; also, that owing to the inclined sides of the boxes air-passages are left around the respective boxes in the several tiers; and, also, that owing to the inclined orinverted pyramidal form of the carriers when theyare packed side byside,wedgeshaped air-spaces will be formed around the carrier, such space being widest at bottom, while inside the carrier an air-space is left around the upper tiers, which space enlarges around each successive superimposed tier. This gives most ventilation to the fruitexposed to most vitiated air. Itwill be observed,therefore, that the air can pass in and around each tier of boxes and around each box in each tier, and can circulate upwardly from one tier to the other, or can enter and pass out throughthe side of carrier adjoining each tier, and it is nowhere confined above the boxes, but can freely escape. This elfectuall y prevents heating and molding of the fruit. When anumber of carriers are packed together, the airspaces between the-carriers form large airpassages, through which drafts of air can circulate freely, and thence ramify through the smaller passages around and among the several boxes in each carrier.

In shipping empty carriers, the boxes can be taken out and nested, the partitions taken out, and the carriers nested like the boxes, the partitions being placed in the uppermost carriers, so that when empty the boxes and crates can be nested to occupy only aboutthe space of one carrier, thereby economizing room and lessening the expense of shipping and storing.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. The combination, with a carrier having outwardly-inclined sides and ends, of a series of boxes arranged in similar tiers therein, the partitions interposed between the tiers having side rails for holding down the lower boxes and guard-rails for keeping the superimposed boxes in position thereon, and the cover having side and end bars attached to its under surface, so as to leave air-passages between their tops and bottom of cover, said bars being adapted to hold down the upper tiers of boxes and keep the same in position, the carrier having openings in its ends and sides opposite the meeting edges of the boxes, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a carrier-case having outwardly-inclined sides and ends, of aseries of boxes arranged in similar tierstherein, partitions interposed between the tiers having side and center rails for holding down the lower boxes and guard-rails for keeping the superimposed boxesin position, the upper partitions also having depending side strips for holding the boxes thereunder in position,

and the cover having center and side rails and end rails for holding down the upperrow of boxes, ventilating-passages being formed between the said rails and cover and in the sides and ends of case opposite the meeting edges of the boxes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with a carrier having inclined sides and ends and a series of boxes arranged in tiers therein, also havinginclined sides and ends, and the partitions interposed between the tiers of boxes, with the top having central longitudinal bar G, of side bar G, and end bars g attached thereto but separated therefrom so as to leave an air-space therebetween, and the depending strips attached to said bars, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH T. MOTT.

Witnesses:

J OSEPH A. GALLAGHER, F. S. PENDLETON. 

